Magic box



Sept. 17, 1929. w. R. GROGER MAGIC BOX Filed May 21, 1927 1 a, I I l I I I I I I a a m w:

INVENTDR WILLIAM R. GROq-ER, 7

Mae W, A;

Patented Sept. 17, 1929 umran sures .WILLiAM nonoenn, or snennno, CALIEQRNIA MAGIC BOX Application filed May 21,

This invention relates to devices with the help of which all kinds of games, or puzzles, or tricks may be accomplished.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a box-like structure, by which other articles may be made to apparently disappear and perform puzzling acts.

Another object is to provide a box with a movable cover, the box having a front open ing and an elastic band serving to connect the cover with the box and serving for other cooperative functions between the box, the cover, and the front opening.

\ Another object is to provide removable bodies which may be used in connection with the elastic band, the cover, and the box.

Other objects will appear from the following description and appended claim as well as from the accompanying drawing, in

0 which Fig. 1 is a perspective front View of a box with a cover partly opened, and having and aperture shown in the front side, de signed according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a general Vertical cross section through the box structure on approximately the lines 2-2 of Fig. 1, having a small body or block with pins stuck to the upper edge of the rear wall of the box and to the cover, thereby holding the cover plate locked to the box, and having an elastic attached to its underside, extending through the front openin and being hooked to the underside of the ox.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary general cross section through the box and cover, having an elastic connected to the top and the box for holding the cover closed.

Fig. 4 is a general vertical cross section through the box and cover, having an elastic secured near the top between the front and rear walls of the box and having several cylindrical bodies or blocks inserted between the elastic band and the movable cover.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view, il-

I927. Serial No. 1393,2511

lustra-tin'g several cylindrical blocks or bodies, disposed on the top of 151181130X and cover to be used in conjunction with the block illustrated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a general Vertical section through the box and cover" with the cover nearly closed, a block being disposed on thetop of the box, connected by an elastic through the front opening to the bottom of the box.

As; illustrated, the box 7 is provided with an aperture 8 in the front'wall of the box. A hole 9* is provided in the top edge ofthe rear Wall 15 of the box. A similar hole 10 is provided in the cover platell near the edge adjacent to the rear wall. 15 o-f the box. I These 'smallhol'es 9 and 10 serve difller'ent purposes. One distinct use is shown in Fig. 2. A smal'l'body' or block 12 provided with pins 13 and 14 is disposed onthe top of the box, the pin 13 being inserted into the hole 10 in the cover plate, and thepinll being inserted intothe hole 9 in the rear wall 15 of the box. An elastic member16 is dis posed to hook with one end over the rear edge of the cover as'ind icated at17 and with the opposite end 18' hookedto the front to a pin 19' in the front wall 20 of the box.

As long as the block 12 is in this manner disposed ontop of the box, the top is locked in this closing position, however,'as soon as the block 12 is withdrawn from the holes 9 and 10, the cover is allowed to open under the tension of the elastic band 16.

Thisprinciple is used in connection with a suitable number of other blocks 21 placed on top of the box as illustrated in Fig. 5. As long as any of the blocks 21 are lifted :fi-omthebox, the cover plate will remain closed, but if the block 12 should be detached or lifted sutficiently to remove the pins 13 and 14 from the "holes 9 and '10,1the cover is allowed to open under the influenceof the elastic 16. and if at this time any or all of thelblocks or bodies 21 should still be in their position on the top of the box, they fall into the box as soon as the cover is opened.

The cover may be kept closed by connecting the elastic member 16 with one end to the pin 22 in the rear wall 15 of the box and the other end to the pin 23 in the underside of the cover 11 of the box as illustrated in Fig. 3.

I A suitable number of such pins are provided in the box for different games, or puzzles, or tricks not particularly described herein and not especially designated by numerals, though illustrated in the drawing.

In Fig. 4, a distinct feature of using the elastic connected to certain places in the box is illustrated. The several cylindrical blocks 24 are inserted between the elastic member 16 and the underside of the cover 11. The box with the cover plate and the blocks 24, when used as illustrated in Fig. 41, may be shaken without any apparent indication that any blocks are contained in the box. The box may be held upsidedown and still hold the blocks within the box as long as the cover is closed enough to hold the blocks in the positions in which they are illustrated, between the elastic and the cover. However, when the box is held upside down and the cover is at that moment slowly pulled out of the closing position, one after another of the blocks may be caused to drop out of the box. Again, after one or more of the blocks have been allowed to fall out, the box may be held upside down and shaken without disclosing anymore blocks in the box, but, on a further removing of the cover, more blocks can becaused to fall out, as will easily be understood without further illustration orexplanation. r

In Fig. 6, the block 28 is placed over the top of the box with the cover'nearly closed. The elastic is connected at one end to the underside of the block 28 as at 25 and passed through the opening 8' connected with its other end at 27 to the underside of the box. Having placed the block 28 in this position and connected by the elastic 16 to the underside of the box with the elastic passin through the opening 8' in the front side 0' the box, a removing of the cover 11 causes a quick moving of the block 28, first into the box, then through the opening 8 in the front side of the box and to below the box, thus entirely disappearing from view.

The elastic is'made of suitable material, as rubber, or light coil springs.

Other games, or tricks may be accomplishedwith the box coveiyelastic, and the small blocks, too numerous to be recited here in full, and I do not limit myself to the specific games. or tricks described above, but merely to the structures within thescope of the following claim.

Having thus-described my nvention, I claim: Y K I A magic box having a shiftable top and an opening in the front side, an elastic member, means at various points in the structure of the box and the cover by which the elastic may be attached with its ends, and a comparatively small body having means to which the elastic may be engaged at one end while the other end of the elastic is passed into the box and outwardly through the opening in the front side whereby the body may be jerked from the top of the box when so placed through the box and through said opening in the front of the box by the elastic when the cover is opened.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name.

WILLIAM R. GROGER. 

